Apparatus for washing skins.



0. DUFOUR. APPARATUS FOR WASHING SKINS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16, 1909.

934,961., Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

flamers 607m O. DUFOUR.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING SKINS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1909.

934,961, v Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Eg t

' thereof will be CHARLES DUFOUR, 0F CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

NT OFFICE.

maaa'ms non wnsnme SKINS.

Specifieat'i'en-of Letters-Patent. v Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

- Application filed January I6, 1909. Serial No. 472,635.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CHARLES Duroun, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and resident of Cambridge, county of Middlesex, State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for WashingSkins, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawingrepresenting, like parts;

This invention has for its object the production of a novel apparatusfor washing skins, it being especially designed for washing-sheep skinswith wool on them, although the device is capable of use for washingother kinds of skins.

The device is of that type embodying a rotary tub adapted to contain theskins and provided on its walls with inwardly-proand also provided witha vertical shaft situated centrally of the tub and havingoutwardly-projecting agitators thereon, said shaft and tub being rotatedin opposite directions.

The objects of my invention are to provide a novel form of agitatorwhich will opmate to stir the skins and complete the washing thereofwithout injuryto them, and also to provide a novel device for removingthe washed skins from the tub.

One embodiment of my invention will first be described and then thenovel" features pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a vertical section through a washing machineembodying my inventlon, 1 1g. 2

1s a top plan view of the tub and the device for removing skinstherefrom; Fig. 3 is a section through the side of the ww, Fig. 2.

The tub in which the skins-to be Washed are placed is designated by 3and in practice this will have a diameter of something like 12 feet andmay be about 6 feet in depth. This tub is adapted to be rotated as usualin devices of this class, ed in any suitable way for this purpose. Ihave herein shown it as having rigidly secured to the under side thereofa large bevel gear 4 which isprovided with astud or tub on substantiallythe line stem 5 that is received in a suitably-supported' step bearing6.; The gear 4 is driven b a beve l gear 7 which is carried by a sha tsustained in suitable bearings 8 and driven and it may be support"Situated centrally of the tub is a vertical I shaft 1 1, the lower endof which is journaled a suitable bearing 12 sustained by the tub, andthe upper end of which is sustained ina bearing 13 secured to theceiling or some overhead support 14. Theshaft has fast thereon a bevelgear 15 that is driven by a bevel gear 16 mounted on afshaft having. adriving pulley 17 thereon. The parts thus far described may have anysuitable or usual construction-and orm no part of my present invention.

The tub has rigid therewith a plurality of blades or agitators 10 whichare in the na-, ture of fins that extend obliquely from the wall of thetub, as plainly seen in Fig. 2. These fins are preferably Wider at thebot.- tom than at the top, as clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 3.

The shaft 11 carries a plurality of coop-- crating blades or agitatorsherein designated by 18. In the present embodiment of my in: Vention Ihave shown three such agitators and each is in the form of a fin or webex tending radially from the shaft and wider at the top than at thebottom.

in my preferred construction, the lower and of the shaft 1]:ismadetriangular in shape, as shown at 2'1, and the blades 18 extendfrom the flat faces of this portion of the shaft, as clearly seen inFig. 2. I- find that agitators or blades of this character serveto'effectua-lly wash theskins without any danger of their becoming tornor in- .jua'ed. My invention also comprehend-s a novel device forremoving the skins from the tub .3. This device is in the form of anelevator or conveyer adapted to be placed in the tub in such a ositionthat as the tub rotates, the skins Wlll be forced by the rotation of thetub onto said elevator, by which the skins are carried up over the topof the tub. I have herein shown this elevator as in the form of anendless belt elevator. It comprises two side pieces 22 which receivebetween them the two rolls 23 and 24 over which the endless apron 25passes. The side rails 22 are pivoted at 26 to a stand orsup port 27 andeach side rail has an angular shape, as clearly seen in Fig. 1. The siderails 22 are'positioned so that the ends thereof carrying the endlessapron 25 stand at one side of the shaft 11, and the shape of side rails22. Vhen the skins have been washed and it is desired to remove themfrom the tub, the elevator is placed in the full line position F igu 1so that the endless apron 25 is positioned within the tub. The tub isthen rotated in'the direction of the arrow Fig. 2, and at the sametime-the endless apron 25 is operated by.,turning the roll 24 in adirection to carry the upper run of said apron upwardly. Thismay beaccomplished by any suitable means and I have herein shown for thispurpose a gear 33 fast on the roll 24 and meshing with and driven by agear 34 which is provided with a handle 35. The rotation of the tubcarries the skins up against the upper run of. the endless apron 25, andby operating said endless apron, these skins are elevated from the tuband may be deposited through the space 38 between the side rails 22.

The shape of the agitators 10 and 18 is such that when the endless apron25 is lowered into the tub, as shown in full lines Fig. 1, saidagitators will pass either side of the side rails 22, as shown in F ig.3, the widest part of the agitators l8-pass1ng over the elevator and thewidest part of the agitators 10 passing under the elevator. I willpreferably provide the endless apron 25 with hooks 40 which are adaptedto take hold of the skins and facilitate their being elevated by theapron. I have shown at a pipe by which the tub may be filled with liquidand at a valve pipe by which the liquid may be drained from the tub. Myimprovement, therefore, provides a simple mechanism for thus doing awaywith the tub.

laborious operation of lifting the skins out by hand as has beenheretofore done.

Havin fully described my invention, what I cIa Letters Patent is 1. In amachine for washing skins, the

combination with a tub, a shaft situatedelevator for removing theskinsfrom thev tub, and means whereby said elevator may be inserted intothe tub orremoved therefrom.

3. In a machine for washing skins, the combination with a tub, a shaftsituated cent-rally of the tub, and means to rotate the tub and shaft inopposite directions,of an endless belt elevator, and means forsustaining said ,elevator whereby it may be placed within the tub forremoving skins therefrom or placed in a position above the 4. In amachine for washing skins, the combination with atub and meansforrotating it, of an elevator comprising .two .side rails pivotallyvmounted so as to permit one end thereof to be, carried into the tub orelevated above the" tub, an endless belt conveyer sustained by said endof said side rails,

and means for operating said 'conveyer.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES DUFOUR. Witnesses: LOUIS C. SMITH,

THOMAS J. DRUMMOND.

im as new and desire to secure by

